Is It Just Me?

[steamboat willy]

Everyday I log onto INTERCOT to the opening News Page waiting for the announcement of Fall Free Dining or a Room Discount. Hoping for Free Dining. Anyone else watching and waiting and wanna keep me company?:cool:

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

That was totally me last year! I stalked the Disney site and INTERCOT many, many times a day!

Hopefully something comes out soon for everyone who is waiting. :)

[VacationDisney]

I am with you steamboat willy:mickey:

[joonyer]

After trying free dining, and then crunching the numbers vs. what we would normally spend, i just find that the free dining is just not that good a deal. I look for room discounts instead. We usually get PIN offers a couple of times per year.

[biggins]

I'm with ya!! Checking everyday for a September trip. Good luck to us :mickey:

[Jodi]

I have been doing the same, but, hoping for the end of August. This would be the first year in a VERY long time that we would not get in on the Free Dining. :( So, will hang and wait with you!! Keeping fingers, eyes, toes crossed!

[Winniehoney]

I am so right there with you! Checking daily waiting for that announcement!

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Ha, I thought I was the only one:fingers: I check daily as well, need some kind of discount so I can get some spending money back:shop::wait:

[yjgirl32]

Me too. Hopefully soon.

[DKA041177]

You are not alone!!!!! :mickey:

[clarkee]

We are anxiously awaiting the announcement for free dining for August too! Fingers crossed!

[JanetMegan]

Me tooooo...hoping it isn't just Disney Visa holders.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

Me tooooo...hoping it isn't just Disney Visa holders.

I don't know that they've ever had just a pure Disney Visa card holder discount, usually the Visa deal comes out first, then 3 days later its opened up to the general public.

Last year free dining for September was announced 5/6 for Disney Visa holders and 5/9 for general public. In 2012 that seem deal was released in March. So if history repeats itself, you should know in about 3 weeks I would think. I don't know if an improving economy is reducing or shrinking these discounts. It seemed like in 2012 it came out earlier and covered more dates compared to 2013.

I"m waiting for Nov/Dec discounts. Our hope is something will come out covering post Thanksgiving period, but my guess is I'll have to wait until August for that, unless we get a pin code, which that hasn't happened now for a couple years.

Since we are looking at a Deluxe for the first time ever (BC??) I think I am more interested in the room discount than the free dining. If we elect to do POR-AB again (as a family of 5) then would take free dining over any discount.

[Gator]

I don't know if an improving economy is reducing or shrinking these discounts.

A what? Things must be waaaay different in Minnesota than it is in CA.

I'd love to see a discount too for Nov/Dec. I'm almost dead set on a Disneyland trip, but that Free Dining makes it tempting to do a WDW trip. I'll just have to wait and see. And Gators hate to wait.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

A what? Things must be waaaay different in Minnesota than it is in CA.


There are subtle signs, other than a stock market that is quite a bit higher than it was in 2010. Just in the last year we've seen several homes go up for sale in our neighborhood, and more importantly we are seeing them actually sell. Prices nowhere near 2006 levels but at least trending up.

State actually forecasted for a budget surplus, so despite winter dragging on longer than it did in Arendelle in Frozen, things seem to be looking up a bit.

From what I can tell too, doing some 2012 to 2013 discount comparisons, 2013 seemed to be a little lighter than 2012, taking longer to come out and not covering as many days. That's why I'm a bit worried about what may or may not come for Nov/Dec of 2014.

[garymacd]

I'm with you, too! We have already booked a trip for the end of September and are waiting to see if we can change it to include free dining.

Either way: Beignets, get ready, cuz I'm coming for you!

[epceddie]

As to the free dining, all I can say is that Disney's bean counters are better than your average tourist when it comes to discounts. Disney doesn't put offers out there that costs it money.

[Polynesian Dweller]

As to the free dining, all I can say is that Disney's bean counters are better than your average tourist when it comes to discounts. Disney doesn't put offers out there that costs it money.

Yeah, they only put them out to sell more rooms. If they've sold enough they won't have an offer.

[missastrocat]

I'm here hoping for a November discount too... This year we are trying to do things on the cheap. We will most likely be at a value, so I'd be happy with a quick service food plan or a discount.. I think the QS plan would save us more money than a small discount.

[azcavalier]

After trying free dining, and then crunching the numbers vs. what we would normally spend, i just find that the free dining is just not that good a deal. I look for room discounts instead. We usually get PIN offers a couple of times per year.

It just depends on how you eat, and how many in your party. For my family of five, it's *way* cheaper to get the free DDP than it is to get a room discount. We figure that the free DDP saves us about $1500 for our average trip, whereas a room discount on one room (usually POR) isn't even half that.

[azcavalier]

It just depends on how you eat, and how many in your party. For my family of five, it's *way* cheaper to get the free DDP than it is to get a room discount. We figure that the free DDP saves us about $1500 for our average trip, whereas a room discount on one room (usually POR) isn't even half that.

HOWEVER, with annual passes this year, we wouldn't qualify for free dining anyway, so bring on the room discounts! We used one last year to stay at Beach Club. It was awesome!!

[JanetMegan]

We have a fairly large group coming so the free dining just sort of would make things easier all around, if that makes sense.

Still waiting...

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

It just depends on how you eat, and how many in your party. For my family of five, it's *way* cheaper to get the free DDP than it is to get a room discount. We figure that the free DDP saves us about $1500 for our average trip, whereas a room discount on one room (usually POR) isn't even half that.

I've got a multiple scenario spreadsheet going for a potential 10 day - 9 night stay in the fall. With a family of 5, 3 being deemed adult for the DDP and 2 kids, it would cost us close to $2,000 to pay for the DDP oop.

If we stay at POR-AB again, about the biggest room discount I could expect would give us about $500 in savings. Even if we didn't pay for DDP on our own, and spent only $1500 on food instead of $2000, taking fee dining over a room discount, for our family of 5 at a moderate resort is pretty much a no-brainer, as it still results in probably at least a $1,000 savings over the room discount.

If we stay at a Deluxe level resort, say the Beach Club, the potential room discount would be about equal to what we'd expect to pay out of pocket for food, so I would say that mathematically, its about a wash, discount vs free dining, for us, so then I can look more at, what do I want to do with our time, vs looking solely at which is the better financial deal.

While I enjoy eating at some of the nicer restaurants, I would also look forward to a trip where I don't have to plan out my entire daily schedule 180 days in advance and be beholden to dinner reservations.

Although with the new FP+ system, I guess I'm resigned to having to plan out everything at least 60 days in advance.

[hauntedmansiongirl]

I am hoping for free dining this year! We are taking my parents for their first time ever to stay on property and they are excited to try all the restaurants. If we don't get free dining we'll end up staying at a value resort. I would love to take my parents to Riverside or Coronado though, so here's hoping for free dining!! :mickey:

[steamboat willy]

I have been doing the same, but, hoping for the end of August.


We are anxiously awaiting the announcement for free dining for August too! Fingers crossed!

Just got a Pin last week that runs from 6/1 - 8/28 for Room Discounts Up To 30% and includes Free Park Hopper Option. That should become Public if it hasn't already. Still no Free Dining announcement yet. Come on May announcement!

[Disneylovescompany]

We have never used the dining plan but I think that is mainly due to the fact we are AP holders and dont always stay on property. I considered it for the last trip but I just didnt see much of a savings. Love having APs, but, only for the fact it makes it cheaper to get into the parks. Ive found I could rent DVC points cheaper than the AP discounts on rooms so I basically pay for cheaper admission year round and free parking. Not much of a benefit when it comes to room discounts or food. Good discount on merchandise.